Garage door security device

ABSTRACT

An adjunct device for a garage door opener and closer system containing a microprocessor which automatically closes the garage door after a 45 second delay, and includes three LED&#39;s to indicate the door closure, motion detection, and a manual override of the system. The adjunct device has a push button switch which programs the adjunct device to the same infrared frequency as the conventional garage door opener device. The adjunct device also contains a manual override element, an oscillator circuit, a reset circuit, a surge protector circuit, and a voltage regulator circuit.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional PatentApplication Serial No. 60/139,730, filed Jun. 18, 1999.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates generally to a garage door securitydevices and, more specifically, to an adjunct device for a garage dooropener and closer system which automatically closes the garage doorafter a 45 second delay, and includes a manual visual deactivationelement for signalling the on/off condition of the device. The devicecontains a surge protector to protect the device and the door opener.

2. Description of Related Art

The related art of interest describes various garage door opening andclosing systems, but none describes the compact and economical adjunctdevice of the present invention. The related art will be discussed inthe order of perceived relevance to the present invention.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,463,292 issued on Jul. 31, 1984, to Robert J. Engelmanndescribes a security timer for an automatic garage door opener whichcauses the door to close after an interval with a warning buzzer signal.A timer switch mounted on the ceiling is engaged when the door is fullyopen. The security timer includes an oscillator that provides pulses. Acounter counts the pulses and provides a binary output. Engagement ofthe timer switch signals the oscillator and counter in the security boxmounted on a wall to begin. When the predetermined number of pulses havebeen counted, a relay switch is closed for signaling the operator unitof the door to close and to activate a buzzer alarm. The security boxhas a disabling switch. A manual switch is mounted next to the securitybox. The security system is distinguishable for its separate roofmounted timer switch device and the separate manual switch.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,357,183 issued on Oct. 18, 1994, to Chii C. Lindescribes an automatic control and safety device for a garage dooropener system. The device provides an automatic reclose and safetyreverse if an obstruction is observed. Photoelectric sensors arepositioned across the garage door opening to detect the passage of thevehicle in or out of the garage when an infrared emitter device emits apulsed radiation to a reflector which reflects the radiation to aphotodetector placed above the emitter device to detect either thevehicle by the higher beam and pets or children by the lower beam. Thesensors also reverse the closing of the door upon detection of anobstruction. An oscillator device, a logic box, closes the garage doorto reclose if the door remained open for a predetermined time interval.A safety warning signal is generated before the oscillator controlledreclosure. A disabling switch and a manual pushbutton control aremounted together on a wall by the service door. The service door has anormally open proximity switch in the circuit with the wall controls.The system is distinguishable for its requirement for the infrareddetector system and a reclose logic box.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,939,434 issued on Jul. 3, 1990, to Alfred A. Elsondescribes an apparatus and method for an automatic garage door operationsystem. The apparatus has means for closing, switching and timingconnected in series. The timing means contains two cascaded timers and atrigger input. The timers delay the door closing for 50 to 190 secondsand are automatically deactivated when the door is closed. The apparatusis distinguishable for relying on cascaded timers.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,027,553 issued on Jul. 2, 1991, to Florentino S. Vergaradescribes an add-on device for a motorized garage door opener system forautomatically closing the door after a delay. The add-on devicecomprises one or two actuators cooperating with a spring-biased pin orpins to reverse the motor. A manual switch to start the door openingoperation and another manual switch to keep the door open are shown. Thetime delay circuit of 2 to 3 minutes to keep the door open is deemedconventional. The add-on device is distinguishable for its connection tothe tubular track adjacent to the door opening casing.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,821,024 issued on Apr. 11, 1989, to Allan T. Bayhadescribes a door operator pre-warning system involving a warning lightand horn inside the garage when only opening the door either by batterypowered signal transmitter or a wall switch. The system isdistinguishable for its limitation to a door opening warning system.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,429,264 issued on Jan. 31, 1984, to Moscow K. Richmonddescribes a system and method for the automatic control of electricallyoperated gates. The system is distinguishable for its requirement for aphoto interrupter and photodetector of pulses generated by a rotatingapertured disc.

Canadian Patent No. 724,530 issued on Dec. 28, 1965, to Cecil J. Watkinsdescribes an automatic door opening system for a door pivoting in bothdirections from one vertical internal shaft operated by a hydraulicsystem. Four interconnected relays to move and keep the door open ineither position by a timing system which comprises a condenser which ischarged and discharged to determine the time period that the door isopen. The system is distinguishable for a timing system depending onrelays and a condenser.

French Patent No. 2,234,792 issued on Feb. 21, 1975, describes anautomatic Doppler radar door control system having delay circuits with adouble inverter and controlling motors. The system is distinguishablefor its expensive Doppler radar control.

None of the above inventions and patents, taken either singly or incombination, is seen to describe the instant invention as claimed.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is an adjunct device for an automatic garage dooropener and closer system which automatically closes the garage doorafter a 45 second delay and includes a manual visual deactivationelement for signalling the on/off condition of the device.

Accordingly, it is a principal object of the invention to provide anadjunct security device for an automatic garage door opener and closersystem.

It is another object of the invention to provide an adjunct securitydevice for an automatic garage door opener and closer system whichcloses the door after a predetermined time interval.

It is a further object of the invention to provide an adjunct securitydevice for an automatic garage door opener and closer system whichincludes an on/off switch for controlling the adjunct device.

Still another object of the invention is to provide an adjunct securitydevice for an automatic garage door opener and closer system whichincludes a visual deactivation element for signalling the on/offcondition of the device.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide an adjunct securitydevice for an automatic garage door opener and closer system whichincludes a surge protector.

It is an object of the invention to provide improved elements andarrangements thereof in an apparatus for the purposes described which isinexpensive, dependable and fully effective in accomplishing itsintended purposes.

These and other objects of the present invention will become readilyapparent upon further review of the following specification anddrawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a front elevational view of a garage door security deviceaccording to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a left side elevational view of the device.

FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the device.

FIG. 4 is a bottom view of the device.

FIG. 5 is a schematic block flow chart of the garage door securitysystem.

FIGS. 6A, 6B and 6C are segments of a circuit diagram of the garage doorsecurity device.

Similar reference characters denote corresponding features consistentlythroughout the attached drawings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

The present invention is an adjunct security device 10 shown in variousviews in FIGS. 1 through 4 for a conventional garage door opener andcloser system operated by remote infrared transmitters and receivers.The device 10 has a rectangular casing 12 having a front surface 14, arear surface 16, a top surface 18, a right side surface 20, a left sidesurface 22, and a bottom surface 24. An infrared sensor element 26 ispositioned on a central area of the front surface 14 of the casing 12for receiving an infrared radiation signal from a conventional dooropener device (not shown). The infrared sensor element 26 includes amotion detector element which serves as a safety feature. The motiondetector will have a 360° protection zone which includes a radius of atleast 15 feet. If the motion sensor detects movement within the 30 footcircular area, an electrical timing circuit will restart its count of 45seconds until the movement stops as seen when FIG. 5 is explained below.This function prevents the garage door from closing if the homeowner hasto retrieve merchandise from the vehicle.

A red light emitting diode (LED) 28, a yellow LED 29 and a green LED 30are located on the front surface 14 and proximate the top surface 18 ofthe casing 12. The red LED 28 when lit indicates there is a motiondetected of a body proximate the garage door. The yellow LED 29 when litindicates that the garage door is closed. The green LED 30 when litindicates that a manual override switch 150 (FIG. 6) has been activated.

An on/off sliding toggle switch 32 for operating the system 10 and apush button switch 33 for programming the device 10 are also located onthe front surface 14 and proximate the bottom surface 24 of the casing12. Three electrical contact elements consisting of a pair of electrodes34 and a ground electrode 36 are provided for connection and groundingto a grounded electrical wall outlet.

The casing 12 has a projecting support tab 38 centrally located on thetop surface 18 of the casing 12. The tab 38 has an aperture 40 sized forattaching conveniently to an existing electrical wall outlet panel (notshown) with the panel mounting screw. The casing 12 can be produced witheither a translucent or a substantially opaque plastic material.However, if the casing 12 is made of opaque material, the region aroundthe infrared sensor 32 must be translucent in order for the motiondetector 106 to be fully effective. An accessory plug outlet 42 isprovided on the bottom surface 24 for insertion of any other appliance'selectrical plug.

An electrical timing circuit and a surge protector (not shown) is housedwithin the casing 12. The surge protector will protect the circuitry ofboth the garage door security device 10 and the conventional garage dooropener (not shown). The adjunct garage door security device 10 willautomatically close an opened garage door after a timed delay of apredetermined interval such as 45 seconds, and the system can bedeactivated by utilizing the on/off switch 32 in view of the lit greenlight emitting diode (LED) 30 to indicate an “on” or active condition ofthe system.

Thus, a home owner can conveniently use their existing garage dooropener remote control device to close the garage door, having 45 secondsto drive out the car before the garage door automatically closes. Oncethe garage door is open, the home owner must press the conventionalgarage door opener remote control in intervals which deactivates theautomatic mode (128) of the garage door security device 10 and allowsthe door to remain open. The garage door security device 10 must receivetwo oscillator frequencies in order for this function to operate. Toreactivate the device 10, the home owner must press the conventionalgarage door opener remote only once. This function will reactivate thedoor security device 10 as well as closing the garage door manually.

When the owner returns and opens the garage door to park inside hisgarage, he has 45 seconds to enter before the door closes automatically.When he desires that the garage door remain open, he can move the switch32 to the “off” position, which allows the garage door to maintain anopen position.

The push button switch 33 programs the device 10 to the same infraredfrequency as the conventional garage door opener. This programming isdone by pressing and holding the push button 33 in the “on” positionwhile pressing and releasing the “Learn” button on the conventionalgarage door opener, which will indicate that the programming iseffected. When the conventional garage door opener indicates thatidentical frequencies of the two devices have been effected, the homeowner can release the push button 33 on the device 10.

The adjunct device 10 is simple to install by just inserting the pair ofelectrodes 34 and the ground electrode 36 into the garage's electricaloutlet apertures and even utilize the existing panel screw to connectthe projecting and apertured support tab to the wall outlet.

FIG. 5 illustrates the garage door security device operating system 100in a block flow chart starting at top with step 102 to initialize theoscillator by activating the garage door control by toggle switch 32. Instep 104, the automatic close mode in the device 10 determines whetherany motion is detected in step 106. When no motion is detectable, thetimer element starts the closing process in step 108 to signal that thegarage door should be closed and sends a door closing signal in step110. The timer in device 10 resets itself to zero in step 112. Thus, thegarage door begins to close in step 114.

If any motion in step 106 is detected the motion sensor timer is resetin 2 seconds in step 116. Consequently, in step 118 the determinationwhether any motion is detected is made. If motion is detected, themotion sensor is reset in step 118. If motion is not detected, the timersignals to close in step 108.

If in the automatic close mode step 104, there is no closure signal,then the power surge element in the step 120 is activated to determinewhether there is a power surge or not. If there is a power surge, thepower surge element must decide in step 122, whether to turn theelectrical power on or off. If the decision predetermined by the powersurge element is positive, the toggle switch in step 124 is set in the“on” position, and the oscillator can again be initialized in step 102.

If the decision predetermined by the power surge element is negative instep 120 and determined by the oscillator element in step 126 that theoscillator interval has elapsed, then in step 128, the automatic closemode of the garage door is deactivated. Consequently, the garage door instep 130 remains open and can be overridden by manual control in step132 and by pressing the remote control device to close the garage doorin step 134. Therefore, in step 136 the automatic close mode of thedevice 10 is reactivated to begin closing the garage door in step 114.

If the oscillator interval has not elapsed in step 126, the close cycleof the timer in step 108 is activated to signal the closing of thegarage door in step 110 and on to steps 112 and 114.

The casing 12 of the adjunct security device 10 can be eithertranslucent or opaque plastic material, but the area around the infraredsensor element 26 must be made of translucent plastic.

In FIG. 6A, a circuit diagram 138 for device 10 is shown with themicroprocessor circuit 140. A microprocessor 144, Model 68705A,MC68HC705J1A was used. A programmable infrared detector (PIR) 146 havinga 5 volt A.C. source VCC and grounded at GND transmits its signal ondetection of a foreign body in the doorway to port 3 and input PB 5.

In FIG. 6B, a radio frequency transmitter element 148 having an antenna150 is energized by A.C. voltage at VCC and grounded at GND. Thetransmitter 148 when operated by the user can open the garage door by asignal in line 4 or A to input port PB 4 of the microprocessor 144. Thetransmitter 148 can close the garage door by a signal in line 5 or B toinput port PB 3. A manual override element 150 has a switch S1 to closethe grounded circuit between the lines C1 and C2 with a 0.1 microfaradcapacitor C3 to signal the microprocessor 144 through line 7 or D toport PB 1. It is noted that other input ports listed as PB2 (line 6) andPB0 (line 8) are available in the microprocessor 144 in FIG. 6A.

In the upper portion of FIG. 6C, the diodes circuit 152 has a door closeindicator diode D2 (28) with a resistor R3, a motion detector diode D1(29) (yellow LED) with a resistor R4, and the manual override diode D3(30) with a resistor R5. Each diode is connected to a common VCC and tothe microprocessor 144 by output line 16 or E to PA 2 for diode D2 (28),output line 17 or F to (PA 1) for diode D1 (29), and output line 18 or Gto (PAO) for diode D3 (30). The resistors R3, R4 and R5 have the samevalue of 470 ohms As shown in FIG. 6A, the other unused input lines11-15 for ports PA 3-7 in the microprocessor 144 are available for otherinputs.

In FIG. 6A, the oscillator circuit 154 has two 30 picofarad capacitorsC1 and C2 in parallel with an oscillator X1 comprising a piezoelectriccrystal having a value of 4.0 Megahertz inputing by line 1 to the portOSC 1 of the microprocessor 144. The capacitor circuit is also groundedby GRD and in series with line 2 inputing into the port OSC 2 of themicroprocessor 144.

As shown in FIG. 6A, a reset circuit 156 has a filter element comprisinga 5 volt source at VCC, a resistor R1 having a value of 10 kiloohms, anda capacitor C4 having a value of 30 microfarads leading to a ground(GND). The main line 20 inputs at port RST (reset).

At port IRQ in FIG. 6A, line 19 has a resistor R2 having a value of 20kiloohms leading to an input source VCC. Port VDD has line 9 connectedin parallel to port VSS and line 10 which has a ground GND and acapacitor C5 having a value of 0.1 microfarad.

In the lower portion of FIG. 6C, the voltage regulator or surgeprotector circuit 142 comprises a 110 Volt A.C. source feeding aresistor R6 having a value of 20 kiloohm and 2 Watts and a diode D4(1N4006). Another capacitor C7 having a value of 100 microfarads is inparallel with resistor R6 and grounded at GRD. An ancillary circuit isconnected in parallel with capacitor C7 and in series with D4 by line 1to a voltage regulator U2, i.e., LM7805CTB VAL, having a voltage inputV1, a lead G, and a voltage out VO. Line 3 from the voltage out lead VOhas a voltage input VCC and a capacitor CG having a value of 0.1microfarad in parallel with line 2 and continues on to join the maincircuit.

Thus, a comprehensive device 10 has been shown for adding to aconventional door closing circuit, which includes a motion detector anda programming capacity by simply plugging in.

It is to be understood that the present invention is not limited to thesole embodiment described above, but encompasses any and all embodimentswithin the scope of the following claims.

We claim:
 1. An adjunct device for a garage door opener and closersystem comprising: a rectangular casing having a front surface, a rearsurface, a top surface, a right side surface, a left side surface, and abottom surface; an infrared sensor element positioned on a central areaof the front surface of the casing for receiving an infrared radiationsignal from a conventional door opener device; arranged in a row, a redlight emitting diode for indicating a dangerous motion proximate thegarage door, a yellow light emitting diode for indicating the garagedoor is closed, and a green emitting diode for indicating the use of amanual override located on the front surface and proximate the topsurface of the casing; a microprocessor contained within the case; anon/off slide switch located on the front surface and proximate thebottom surface of the casing for operating the infrared sensor element;a push button switch adjacent to said on/off slide switch forprogramming the memory of the microprocessor; three electrical contactelements for connection and grounding to an electrical wall outlet; asupport tab having an aperture for attaching to the electrical walloutlet with an existing screw; an electrical timing circuit housedwithin the casing, and whereby the adjunct garage door security devicewill automatically close an opened garage door after a timed delay ofapproximately 45 seconds, and can be deactivated by utilizing the on/offslide switch in view of the green light emitting diode.
 2. The adjunctdevice according to claim 1, including a surge protector element forprotecting the adjunct device and a garage door opener device.
 3. Anadjunct device for a garage door opener and closer system comprising: arectangular casing having a front surface, a rear surface, a topsurface, a right side surface, a left side surface, and a bottomsurface; an infrared sensor element positioned on a central area of thefront surface of the casing for receiving an infrared radiation signalfrom a conventional door opener device; and including a motion detectorhaving a 360° protection zone and a 15 feet radius capacity; arranged ina row, a red light emitting diode for indicating a dangerous motionproximate the garage door, a yellow light emitting diode for indicatingthe garage door is closed, and a green emitting diode for indicating theuse of a manual override located on the front surface and proximate thetop surface of the casing; a microprocessor contained within the case;an on/off slide switch located on the front surface and proximate thebottom surface of the casing for operating the infrared sensor element;a push button switch adjacent to said on/off slide switch forprogramming the memory of the microprocessor; three electrical contactelements for connection and grounding to an electrical wall outlet; asupport tab having an aperture for attaching to the electrical walloutlet with an existing screw; an electrical timing circuit housedwithin the casing, and whereby the adjunct garage door security devicewill automatically close an opened garage door after a timed delay, andcan be deactivated by utilizing the on/off slide switch in view of thegreen light emitting diode.
 4. The adjunct device according to claim 3,including a surge protector element for protecting the adjunct deviceand a garage door opener device.